Official blog of the Greater Sacramento Progressive Alliance, one of the largest and most vibrant progressive activist groups in California with more than 7,000 members. We educate and mobilize Progressives in Sacramento, the surrounding foothill areas, and at Sac State and Folsom Lake College.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Leaders Should Intervene To Bring Justice (and Security) To The Jena 6

Last week, thousands of peaceful demonstrators came from across the country to protest the criminal injustice done to young African-American men in Jena, La. The protesters spanned the generations and the country’s geography. They came because of the chilling injustice in Jena, where a series of fights began after white students draped three nooses over the “white tree” in the schoolyard. The white students involved got slaps on the wrist; six African Americans were charged with attempted murder.

They came because Jena isn’t simply in Louisiana; similar injustices take place in our criminal justice system routinely. Mothers and fathers came knowing their children could be the next ones accused.

The demonstration shamed those with a conscience and roused those with hatred in their hearts. Neo-Nazi Web pages have burned with vile denunciations of the Jena 6 and the demonstrators. Last week, www.overthrow.com — an expression of an extremist group that calls itself the American National Socialist Workers Party — chillingly published the names, addresses and telephone numbers of some of the families of the Jena 6. “Get in touch,” the Web page threatened, “and let them know justice is coming.”

“If these n—–s are released or acquitted, we will find out where they live and make sure that white activists and white citizens in Louisiana know it,” ANSWP Commander Bill White stated. “We’ll mail directions to their homes to every white man in Louisiana if we have to in order to find someone willing to deliver justice.” Another white posting on the matter flatly threatened: “Lynch the Jena 6.”

“The best crowd control for such a situation would be a squad of men armed with full automatics and preferably a machine gun as well,” added another posting on the neo-Nazi Vanguard News Network, a white supremacist Web forum.

Threats by neo-Nazi white-supremacy groups need to be taken seriously. These groups are heavily armed and dangerous.

The governor and attorney general of Louisiana are silent. The local prosecutor remains belligerent. This is a time for federal intervention. The federal government intervened in Little Rock and Selma. Local authorities refuse to discharge their duty. The government must act now. I urge President Bush to intervene.

The presidential candidates in both parties should also exercise leadership here, speaking clearly about the need for reconciliation and justice. Republican candidates particularly should demonstrate that they can rise above racial divides to demand fairness and justice in America. Thus far, Republicans have been campaigning as if all America were a white suburb. They cited “scheduling conflicts” to avoid a debate sponsored by a historically black college. Other than John McCain, they ducked the Univision Latino debate. This disdain for reaching out caused former Republican vice presidential nominee Jack Kemp to complain, “What are we going to do — meet in a country club in the suburbs one day?”

But the Democratic nominees should not assume that they can inherit minority votes. They have to earn them. Standing up for justice and against this kind of hatred is an essential measure of leadership.

These threats are serious. The FBI should be investigating; the Justice Department intervening. The civil rights laws were passed to empower the federal government to act. It is time for George W. Bush to stand up.

Feel the Bern!

Find us on Facebook!

Join our Email list!

Search This Blog

Mission Statement

Welcome to the PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE. We are a multi-racial, multi-issue "rainbow coalition" dedicated to social justice, peace and building progressive power. Our key priorities include economic justice; equal rights and equal opportunities for all regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation; international solidarity; humanitarian service; eradicating poverty at home and abroad; environmental protection and sustainable development; and electing progressives to public office and then holding them accountable.

Founded in 2005, we have grown to more than 7,000 members and have emerged as one of the largest and most grassroots activist groups in California. We are proud to serve as a local chapter Our Revolution, the national movement inspired by Bernie Sanders' historic 2016 Presidential Campaign, and as a local affiliate of United for Peace & Justice (UFPJ), a network of several hundred peace and justice groups from all over the world.

United for Peace & Justice

unitedforpeace.org

United for Peace & Justice

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA

America's Democratic Socialist Voice

Keep the Dream Alive!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

El Dorado County Democrats

Progressive Democrats of America

pdamerica.org

Close the School of Assassins!

SOA Watch

Rainbow Push Coalition

Rebuild the Dream

Van Jones

Occupy Sacramento

Check out Occupy Sac on Facebook

Take Class Action! April 13th, 2011

Sac State Students Demand Quality, Affordable Education

Malcolm X

"Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression”

Solidarity with Wisconsin Workers!

An Injury to One is an Injury to All

Amy Goodman

Democracy Now!

The People's Historian

W.E.B. Du Bois

Scholar, Educator, Freedom Fighter

Donate or Pay Annual Dues

!Si Se Puede!

Dolores Huerta & Cesar Chavez

Sen. Paul Wellstone

"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for, at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."